Threats in the Shadows
by WinterSky101
Summary: A ship in the middle of nowhere is a good place to get rid of an unwanted, banished prince. Pre-canon.


They make their move while the boat is docked and most of the crew is on leave, which Zuko has to begrudgingly admit was good planning on their part.

There's only a bare skeleton crew left onboard, and then there's Zuko, pouring over maps in his room. He's visited the four Air Temples, and he's gone to every other place he can think of, but it's been months and he's still no closer to finding the Avatar than he was when his ship first set out. If he can just figure out someplace likely…

He goes still when he hears a creak behind him. It sounds like the floor creaking outside his door, but there's no reason for someone to be out there. The only person who ever visits him is Iroh, and he's on shore at a teashop. Zuko takes a deep, slow breath and waits, frozen, to see what's going to happen next.

The door explodes, sending fire blasting through the room. By the time the smoke clears, six crewmen have entered Zuko's room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Zuko demands. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We've had just about enough of you, little prince," one of the men says. He's holding fireballs in each hand. "We're taking matters into our own hands."

Zuko scans the group quickly. There's four firebenders and two nonbenders, both with swords. He hasn't paid enough attention to his crew to know their weaknesses, but with Agni's blessing, he might be able to take them.

"My father will have you all executed when he hears about this," Zuko threatens, calling on his own fire. "You can't attack a prince like this and get away with it."

"I think we can," another man says. "Your father will be grateful we're getting rid of a worthless prince like you. Who do you think hired us?"

Fury explodes in Zuko's gut. "You're lying!" he yells, sending a barrage of fire at the man. He's a firebender, but he's not prepared for an assault like the one Zuko is sending at him. He falls, and Zuko is about to redirect his attention towards the others-

And then a ball of fire slams into his unguarded torso.

Zuko skids back a few feet, bringing one hand up to cover the burn. If he were wearing his armor, he'd be fine, but he's just wearing a thin shirt, and the fire burns a hole through it. He curls one arm over his torso and holds the other at the ready.

"You're outnumbered, little prince," says the man who spoke first, back when they entered the room. Zuko gets the feeling he's in charge. He was also the one who threw a fireball at Zuko, which is something he's going to pay for.

"You're outmatched," Zuko spits. One of the nonbenders is right next to him, holding a sword. In lightning-fast movements, Zuko strikes, stealing the sword from his grip and bashing the pommel into the man's temple. It's surprisingly easy. Clearly, no one expected Zuko to go for a sword. The nonbender crumples to the ground, and Zuko holds the sword at the ready, igniting flames along its length. He's more used to fighting with dual swords than just one, but he can fight with one sword too.

"Still outnumbered, little prince," the leader taunts in a singsong voice. There are three firebenders left and one nonbender. Normally, Zuko would be confident in his ability to beat them, but his torso hurts and he's fighting one-handed. He'll need luck on his side to win this fight, and he very rarely has luck on his side.

He waits for one of the others to make the first move. It doesn't take long. One of the firebenders sends a wall of fire at him. Zuko curls his own flame around him in a protective shield, then kicks out a tongue of fire. It barely touches the man, but it's enough to send him stumbling backwards, off balance for a few precious moments. Zuko sends more fire at him, using his new sword to direct the flames, but one of the other firebenders deflects it before it can make contact. The leader starts lobbing fireballs at Zuko, forcing him back onto the defensive. He throws his sword, but he's never been particularly good at throwing weapons, even back when he could see properly out of both eyes. He's being pushed further and further back into the room, forced into a corner, and his teeth are gritted against the pain in his torso that flares up every time he moves, and he doesn't know how much longer he can keep this up-

And then fire bursts in from the doorway, taking the attackers by surprise. It gives Zuko a moment to regroup. It must be his uncle, back early from his shopping, because no one else would come in to help like this. Zuko opens his mouth to say something to him, and then his helper enters the room, and it's not Iroh at all, it's Lieutenant Jee.

Zuko only allows himself to be surprised for an instant. He can't afford to be distracted for any longer. He sends out waves of flame, and Jee does the same. He's a good firebender and a trained soldier. Between the two of them, Zuko and Jee are able to take down the rest of the men fairly quickly. Soon, they're the only ones left standing.

"Sir." Jee takes a step towards him, but Zuko pulls back, one arm still curled protectively around his burned torso. Jee stops immediately, dipping into a shallow bow. "Prince Zuko. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Zuko lies. Jee's gaze flickers from Zuko's face to his torso, then back to his face. Zuko glares and dares him to say something.

"General Iroh should be getting back to the ship any minute," Jee says instead. "I sent a messenger after him once I realized what was going on."

Zuko looks down at the men around him. "Are there any others?"

"I'll deal with it," Jee says immediately. "You should go to the general's quarters. I'll make sure he goes there once he gets back."

"I should help with this," Zuko argues, ignoring how hard it's becoming to stay upright.

Jee frowns. "Sir, I don't think there any more mutineers, but in case there are, you should probably stay with General Iroh, where it's safe. These men targeted you specifically."

Zuko's not entirely sure this was something as simple as a mutiny - he's leaning more towards an assassination attempt - but Jee has a point either way. Zuko still doesn't like the thought of hiding away while Jee deals with things for him, but he's not going to be able to fight off another attack. Going to his uncle's room is probably the best idea.

"Alright," he allows.

Jee looks relieved by his relatively easy acquiescence. "I'll walk you-"

"I can walk to my uncle's quarters by myself," Zuko interrupts. Iroh's room is just down the hall from his. He'll be fine. "Deal with these men, Lieutenant."

Jee's face twitches like he's going to scowl, but he catches himself just in time. "Yes, sir."

Zuko tries to do his regular stride as he leaves the room, but he's aware that he's not moving with as much grace as usual. The second he closes the door of Iroh's room behind him, he slumps against the wall, trying to breathe regularly despite the fact that his torso is growing more painful by the second. It's not the worst pain Zuko's ever experienced - the burn on his face will win in that category every time - but that doesn't mean it's not painful. His hands are trembling slightly as he pulls his arm away from his torso to look at how bad the burn actually is. He doesn't think it's deep enough to scar, but it's deep enough to be painful.

The door bursts open, startling Zuko into straightening. The second he does, his torso explodes in pain and he ends up doubling over, panting harshly.

"Prince Zuko!" A warm hand rests on his back. Iroh guides him to the bed, settling him down on the edge of it. Zuko's still trying to regain control over his breathing, his eyes squeezed shut.

Iroh is watching him with concern when Zuko finally manages to peel his eyes open. "Prince Zuko, are you alright? Lieutenant Jee told me you were not badly injured."

"It's not too bad," Zuko rasps. He takes his hand away from his torso. "One of the firebenders got in a lucky hit."

Iroh looks at the burn for a moment, his brow furrowed, then he crosses his room and starts rummaging through a chest. "It's really not that bad," Zuko protests, but Iroh's already pulled out a ceramic jar of burn ointment and a roll of bandages.

"Allow an old man his worrying," Iroh says, scooping some of the ointment on his fingers and gently smearing it over Zuko's torso. Zuko's fingers curl around the bedsheets, gripping them tightly.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Iroh asks, massaging the ointment onto the burn. "Lieutenant Jee didn't give me any details."

"I was looking over maps, and six men blew in my door," Zuko explains. "One of them…" He doesn't want to repeat it. "He was lying."

Iroh frowns. "What did he say?"

"He was lying," Zuko repeats, because he had to be, it's the only option, he was _lying_.

"What did he say, Prince Zuko?"

Zuko swallows. He doesn't want to say it, but sometimes Iroh talks in a way that makes it clear he's the same man who commanded armies and laid siege to Ba Sing Se for six hundred days, and it's always hard to disobey him then. "I said my father would make them pay for what they were doing," he says, his voice thin. "And one of them said- No, he _implied_ \- He was lying."

"Prince Zuko-"

"He said my father hired them."

Iroh looks shocked. "He was lying," Zuko adds, uncomfortably aware of the tinge of desperation in his voice. "He was. He had to be." Of course he was lying. Ozai wouldn't do that. He's waiting for Zuko to capture the Avatar and come home. He wouldn't- He _wouldn't_.

"I'm sure he was," Iroh finally says, and the unbearable tension in Zuko's chest loosens. Of course he was lying. Of _course_. "You don't need to worry, Prince Zuko. The men will be dealt with."

"What if there are others?"

"Lieutenant Jee and I will deal with them too," Iroh replies. He unwraps the bandages and starts wrapping them around Zuko's torso.

"I can help," Zuko protests.

Iroh frowns. "Prince Zuko-"

"I _can_."

"Prince Zuko, you need to sleep."

Zuko looks at Iroh with surprise. Iroh is securing the bandage and doesn't see it. Zuko hadn't thought- Well, it seems he was wrong. "Alright," Zuko finally says, making to stand.

"Prince Zuko?" Iroh looks confused. "Where are you going?"

Zuko blinks. "You said I should sleep. I'm going to my room, so I can sleep."

Iroh looks confused for another moment, then his face relaxes into a gentle smile. "You can sleep here."

"But where will you sleep?"

"I need to work with Lieutenant Jee, to make sure there's no one else on the ship who wants to do you harm," Iroh replies. "And after that, if I want to sleep, I'm sure I'll be able to find a place. I can fall asleep almost anywhere."

Zuko is well aware of that. He's found it highly irritating on many occasions. He still doesn't feel good about the idea of leaving his uncle without a bed for the night.

"I do not think it's likely that I will sleep tonight, Prince Zuko," Iroh adds gently. It doesn't make Zuko feel any better. "You have been injured. You need to rest."

"But-"

"I insist," Iroh says. "Sleep, Prince Zuko. You need the rest."

Zuko glares at Iroh for a moment. He's _thirteen_ , not a child. He doesn't need to be put to bed like an infant. His uncle, as usual, is utterly unfazed by Zuko's glare, and after a moment, Zuko stops trying. He _is_ exhausted.

"Fine," he huffs. "Goodnight, Uncle."

Iroh rests a hand on Zuko's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Goodnight, Prince Zuko."

* * *

Iroh waits in Zuko's room until he finally falls asleep, then he creeps out to meet Lieutenant Jee.

"General." Jee bows immediately. "Sir, I'm fairly certain these six were the only men involved in the conspiracy."

"I don't think this was a mutiny, Lieutenant," Iroh says solemnly. "I don't think it was so simple."

Jee looks solemn. "I don't think so either, sir," he replies. "I can't imagine that they would think killing the prince would be enough to take over the ship."

"I think they went after my nephew for a different reason."

Jee shoots him a sideways look. "An assassination attempt?"

Iroh nods.

"But sir, with all due respect, he's banished from the Fire Nation and possibly removed from the line of succession. It seems like a lot of effort to kill someone whose chances of becoming Fire Lord are…" Jee's lips press together. "Uncertain."

"I'm not sure this was done by an enemy of the Fire Nation," Iroh admits. "Prince Zuko told me that one of the men implied they were hired by his father."

Jee's professionalism isn't quite enough to keep him from looking stunned. "His _father_?"

"Ozai has never been as devoted a father as I was," Iroh replies. Jee served with him and Lu Ten in Ba Sing Se; he knows how much Iroh loved his son. If he's assuming that Ozai and Zuko are similar, he needs to know he's wrong. "And although Prince Zuko would prefer that I not tell you the details of his banishment, I will tell you that I don't believe his father intends for him to come home."

Jee looks faintly sick. "Sir… His own _father_?"

"You will not spread this beyond the two of us, Lieutenant," Iroh commands firmly. "My nephew believes that his attacker was lying. Unless we find proof that he was not, I want him to continue to believe that." Zuko won't believe Iroh without incontrovertible proof, and he might not even believe him with that. But he'll worry, and he'll be terrified and even more paranoid than usual. Iroh won't torture him with the uncertainty unless he's absolutely sure that he's right.

"What do I tell the other men about what happened, sir?" Jee asks. "We'll have to tell them something."

"We'll tell them exactly what happened," Iroh replies. "Six men attempted to kill Prince Zuko. They were stopped. If anyone else tries it, they will be stopped as well." Iroh lets a wry, humorless grin curl his lips. "And what you and Prince Zuko did to these men is merciful compared to what I would have done if I were here."

"Understood, sir," Jee replies. "Should I make the announcement to the crew, or do you want to?"

"You can tell them," Iroh replies. "I have a letter to write."

Jee nods, bowing. Iroh returns to his room. Zuko is still asleep, a frown furrowing his brow even now. Iroh wishes his nephew could be carefree and happy, if only for a day. It doesn't seem likely.

Iroh picks up a scroll and a brush. He lights a candle and dips the brush in ink.

 _To Fire Lord Ozai, second son of Fire Lord Azulon, father of Crown Prince Zuko and Princess Azula:_

 _There has been an attempt on Crown Prince Zuko's life. He and Lieutenant Jee were able to repel his six attackers, and by the grace of Agni, the attack failed. Crown Prince Zuko withstood only minor injuries and will recover quickly. The attackers have been dealt with as befits attempted assassins._

 _I give you my word that I am doing everything within my power to discover who was behind this attack on Crown Prince Zuko, my nephew and your son. When I discover who it was who paid these men to attack him, I will make sure that no future assassination attempts are forthcoming. On that, I give you my word._

 _Rest assured, your son is very safe in my keeping. I will not let anyone hurt him._

 _Respectfully yours,_

 _General Iroh, firstborn son of Fire Lord Azulon, Dragon of the West_

* * *

There are no more assassination attempts.


End file.
